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Conflict in Syria

Lavrov says US working to establish long-term foothold in Syria

Russia's top diplomat also called for a thorough investigation into the missile strike on the Syrian T-4 military airfield

© AP Photo/Hassan Ammar

MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Experts believe that the United States is not going to leave Syria but plans to stay there for long, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

"The US is taking steps not to leave [Syria] as President [Donald] Trump said, and leave Syria for others, but to establish a foothold there for a very long time - experts believe so," Lavrov said.

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Lavrov also called for a thorough investigation into the missile strike on the Syrian T-4 military airfield. "There have been many reports on who flew and who didn’t fly."

"Washington denied that these strikes were delivered by members of the coalition," Lavrov noted. "This once again shows that it is becoming too dangerous in Syria. Players emerged there whom no one had invited and who invited there themselves."

According to Russia’s top diplomat, the situation around the strike on the Syrian airfield may trigger a very dangerous scenario.

"I hope at least military of the US and those countries, which are part of the US-led coalition, understands this," he said.

The massive missile strike was delivered on the T-4 military airfield in Syria’s Homs province early on Monday. According to the SANA news agency, there are deaths and injuries among the military.

Two F-15 aircraft of Israel’s Air Force delivered the strike with eight guided missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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